Escape Trip Report Jan 13-20 (from the perspective of a loyal Celebrity Cruiser)

[Chrisfromco]

Tuesday: We arrived in Grand Cayman and took the first tender in to town. Our plan was to do sting ray city, snorkel, and starfish beach. We set up this excursion on our own through Captain Marvin's. We used them last January and they were great! I highly recommend them if you are in the Caymans! Our plans were quickly derailed when we arrived at Captain Marvin's office. The marine police had closed sting ray city to boats due to rough weather conditions. This was so disappointing! We were hoping to have our family experience what I feel is one of the best experiences in being out on the sand bar with the sting rays. Captain Marvin's was very accommodating though. They offered either a full refund or an alternate tour for about half the cost. We decided to take them up on it. We had a bus tour that took us to Hell (actually a city or parish in Grand Cayman) and then to the Turtle center where they breed sea turtles. We all enjoyed this quite a bit and it was a good learning experience. We had them drop us off at 7 mile beach, where we hung out and swam for a couple of hours. The beach was beautiful and the water was pretty comfortable. We ended up taking a public bus back to the port when we were done. This was our 3rd visit to Grand Cayman and even with the disappointment it's still one of my favorite places in the Caribbean. I always feel safe there and have no reservations about using public transit or walking around.

[Chrisfromco]

Here is the photo link again for those who didn't see it earlier in the thread.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H4BgE0fKJyqnjDOx1

They are in order of the trip. If you click on the individual photo it will give a description as well as the map location I believe. Please let me know if the link is not working.

Thanks for all of the feedback!

[rch3232]

Thanks for the great review and pictures!

[Kealy]

The Escape has a nice selection of wine by the glass available at Cellars wine bar.

[jimbri]

Photos are great!

[Chrisfromco]

The Escape has a nice selection of wine by the glass available at Cellars wine bar.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info! We kept meaning to do one of the tastings they had there, but it just never worked out. I'll make sure to get there next time!

 

 

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[Arzeena]

Following. For some reason I can't see the pictures.

 

Neither can I.

[Arzeena]

Here is the photo link again for those who didn't see it earlier in the thread.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H4BgE0fKJyqnjDOx1

They are in order of the trip. If you click on the individual photo it will give a description as well as the map location I believe. Please let me know if the link is not working.

Thanks for all of the feedback!

 

Yaaay! Thank you!

[Mistizoom]

Here is the photo link again for those who didn't see it earlier in the thread.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/H4BgE0fKJyqnjDOx1

They are in order of the trip. If you click on the individual photo it will give a description as well as the map location I believe. Please let me know if the link is not working.

Thanks for all of the feedback!

 

Thanks for the review and link to the photos! Glad you had a good time! Six weeks to go for me!

[Chrisfromco]

Wednesday: This was a sea day to get us back to the Bahamas. We started the day with a cabin crawl with others from Cruise Critic. It was a great time! We really enjoyed seeing some of the other cabins! We were finally able to try one of the specialty restaurants Wednesday night. I had high hopes that this experience would be closer to the dining we've had on Celebrity. Le Bistro didn't disappoint!!! The food and service were terrific! This really sealed the deal as far as keeping Norwegian as an option for future cruises! I think next time I will purchase a Dining package to eat in the specialty restaurants every night.

[Chrisfromco]

Thursday: We were really looking forward to this day. Just a relaxing time at Great Stirrup Cay! We have been to Labadee with Celebrity and I loved how we could use our drink package and have food provided by the ship. Unfortunately, about an hour before we got to Stirrup Cay, they came on the PA and announced that we were skipping the stop due to the weather. What a bummer!! Everyone in our group was already dressed to swim and heading to breakfast when this bad news came! They announced that we would sail on to Nassau. We arrived in Nassau around 1pm and decided to finally try out the ropes course. It was a lot of fun, but it was not as much of a thrill as I was expecting. I actually enjoyed the drop water slides quite a bit more, but to each his own. We took the afternoon to walk around Nassau and do some shopping. There's a lot of shopping just a few blocks away from the port. I've heard crime is on the increase there, but I never felt unsafe. There were always lots of people walking around. We made our way back to the ship around 3:00 and went to the buffet for a late lunch. I haven't mentioned yet, but the buffet on the Escape was great! I like the layout much better than Celebrity. A tip if you are looking for some good dessert... At the very back of the ship in the evening there is a crepe station where they were making fresh crepes to order. Lots of different fillings and toppings. They only serve them until 9:30pm, so get there before it's too late. There were several nights that I missed it due to late dinners. Not wanting to waste our Specialty restaurant perks, my wife and I decided to try and get in to Cagney's for a late dinner. We didn't have a reservation, but I was able to get a table for 9pm. They have a great bar in the lobby that seperates Cagney's and Moderno so we went down around 8 and had a couple of drinks. I checked in with the host around 8:30 and he was able to seat us. I've hear it's common to be able to get tables without reservations, but I would highly recommend making them before you sail, or at least right when you get on board. Especially if you have a larger party. Cagney's reaffirmed my belief that Norwegian would be in our future cruise plans! The food and service here were just as good if not better then Le Bistro. I love the atmosphere in Cagney's! Soft lighting, very comfortable! The Oysters Rockefeller and the Porterhouse were delicious! My wife had a surf and turf of jumbo shrimp and filet. The filet was amazing! If you like chocolate, their 7 layer cake was great! After dinner it was starting to set in that Friday would be our last day of fun! Booooo!

[Chrisfromco]

Friday: We decided we would just find a beach somewhere and let the kids enjoy the water. Since we were already in port from the night before we could just leave the ship when we wanted. I did some research and it seemed Cable Beach would be our best bet. We asked around and found out that Public Bus #10 was the best way to get there. It was $1.25 per adult and I think the kids were $.50. There was a pick up at George street where the main shopping was just before you get to the Hilton Hotel. It was super easy and only about a 15 minute drive. The weather was still not great so there was not a problem getting space on the beach. We walked down quite a ways and set up just before the Baha Mar resort. They wouldn't let us use their beach chairs, but we were able to walk on to the resort. They had restrooms and a few food trucks that you could buy from. Food looked good, but it was pricey! We decided to just wait until we got back on the ship to eat. The beach was beautiful and the water was that awesome turquoise color but it was on the cool side. The sun finally came out and we got a good hour of fun before the clouds returned and the wind picked up. We did see a large sea turtle just in front of us, which was cool for the kids. The bus picks up in the same spot at the entrance to Cable beach, so getting back was just as easy as before. After a little more shopping we were back on the ship with plenty of time to spare before the all aboard was given. Nassau was ok, but not a spot I would seek out to return to.

[LeesaB]

Thanks for your review! I wasn't able to see any of the photos you posted here for whatever reason, but the ones you shared via the google link looked great. Was everyone happy with the sleeping arrangements? Those boys look like they're *almost* too big for those beds.

[Chrisfromco]

Thanks for your review! I wasn't able to see any of the photos you posted here for whatever reason, but the ones you shared via the google link looked great. Was everyone happy with the sleeping arrangements? Those boys look like they're *almost* too big for those beds.

 

Thanks! Yes, I had an issue with Photobucket so I just put all the photos in the google album instead. You aren't missing any of them. The sleeping arrangements worked out well. The boys were just happy that they didn't have to share a bed! Lol! I liked having the bunk bed rather than having a pull out sofa that would take up more floor space.

[Cruising...our happy place]

Thanks for the Escape perspective from a Celebrity Cruiser! Great review... Been on the Escape several times...

 

 

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[Chrisfromco]

For our last night we all dined in Taste. We had one more Specialty credit, but we weren't able to get a table for 11 and we wanted to eat together for our last dinner. I did enjoy having the option of different venues for the main dining choices. In total we dined in The Manhattan Room 3 times, once in Savor, and once in Taste. The main dining choices are by no means a bad experience. Everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed each meal. The live music in the Manhattan Room added to the experience as well.

 

Dining Summary:

O'Sheehans: Great for fresh wings and burgers as well as appetizers. Just be prepared to wait if it gets busy.

Buffet: Great for breakfast and lunch. Always lots of fresh hot choices. They also have a nice bar right in front for easy access to beverages. (Don't forget the Crepes at night!!)

Main Dining Rooms: Very elegant and an enjoyable experience with good food.

Le Bistro: Excellent service and food! Great atmosphere!

Cagney's: Our favorite of the trip! Great ambiance. Terrific food, and as I mentioned a nice bar right outside if you have to wait.

Bars: There are so many great bars on the ship and we never had to wait more than a minute or two for a drink.

[Cancruizer]

Beautiful photos - looks like you had a great time! Thanks for the review :)

 

Considering our options for the next cruise... hmmm, NCL, Princess, Royal or Celebrity:confused:

[Chrisfromco]

Disembarking: My parents and sister were concerned about not having what they wanted to get ready in the morning, so we chose to just carry off our bags. This was a pain, but that was our fault, not Norwegians. Otherwise, disembarking was very easy and we were off the ship and through customs in less than 30 minutes. It's nice not having to fill out the customs forms anymore. (under $800 is the cut-off I believe) We used QLS transportation to get to Fort Lauderdale Airport. We have used them in the past and have always had a good experience. We were ready about an hour before our scheduled pick up. I called QLS and they had a shuttle there within 15 minutes.

[Chrisfromco]

Final Thoughts:

 

I went in to this cruise with lower expectations due to traveling with the kids and trying a new cruise line. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this ship! I could easily take another cruise on Escape and have a brand new experience again. There was so much that we didn't get to try. I'm embarrassed to say that we didn't even hit any of the shows. The only negative regarding the ship is that it definitely feels crowded at times. Mainly in the buffet and the main pool deck. Once you get used to it though, there are plenty of places to get away from the crowds. In terms of the vacation itself, the negative would be the weather for sure. It was never terrible, just cool and windy enough to mess things up. It caused us to miss our excursions in Grand Cayman and getting a chance to try out Great Stirrup Cay. We have been so spoiled. In the previous 3 trips weather has always been terrific! Eventually it had to happen though.

 

Since I love Aqua class so much on Celebrity, I thought I would give my plan for our next Norwegian Cruise.:

 

I would book a Spa Mini-suite or balcony to take advantage of the Thermal Suites. We love the heated tile beds and other amenities in the Persian Gardens on Celebrity. I would also purchase a dining plan that would allow us to eat in Specialty restaurants every night. I think that I would try for a VIBE pass just to get away from the crowds when needed. Doing some comparison pricing, I could get all of those things for the around the same as an Aqua Cabin on Celebrity.

 

In closing, I would highly recommend the Escape if you are a fan of Celebrity! I would still choose Celebrity if price and itinerary were equal. Though, it's nice to know that we have another great option to look to for future trips! Thank you all for your kind words, and following along. Bon Voyage until the next cruise!!

[Glamourgal]

Thanks so much for this review...when I saw that you were a big fan of Celebrity I was really curious to see your take on Norwegian. I absolutely love Celebrity as well but Norwegian is right up there with Celebrity in my opinion. I've been on the Escape twice before and will be back on her with a large group next year...can't wait!!

[vegas7df]

Thanks so much for the review, we're on the Escape in March. Never been on this size ship and not sure what to expect.

 

Donna